Safety device



July 1s, 1939. Y F C. BEST 2,166,747

SAFETY DEVICE Filed Jan. 6, 1936 Q12 la? l si ..53

THANK 5.73557' Patented July `18, 1939 STATS SAFETY DEVICE Application January 6, 1936H Serial No. 57.696

'lliilaims When there is a break in any one of these con- 10 duits or when there is leakage therefrom, fluid in the system will escape and in many instances the fluid drains oil? to an extent such that thesystem `becomes ineffective to apply the brakes,

and unsafe driving results.

An object of my invention is to provide a safe hydraulicy brake system which willnot become entirely ineffective duev to leakage in some of the conduits leading to the brake applying mechanism.

Another object of my invention is to provide a hydraulic brake system with means whereby the individual conduits will be sealed oif from the'rest of Athe system when leakage therefrom develops.

A further objectA of the invention is to utilize the power pistons in the iiuid cylinders leading to the conduits of a hydraulic brake system for shutting off communication between the conduits and the balance of the system when leakage develops in the conduits.

Another object of the invention is to provide power means for a plurality of hydraulic brake conduits having the parts thereof 4constructed so that they can be readily connected or disconnected for servicing.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawing, which form a part of this speciication, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view, mainly diagrammatic, of a brake system incorporating my invention applied to a motor vehicle.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the power portion of the braking system illustrating the details of the master pressure means and the reservoir.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the Y pressure portion of the fluid hydraulic braking system illustrating in detail the auxiliary power means connected with the iiuid conduits.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

A hydraulic braking system disclosing the invention is shown associated with a motor vehicle having a frame l0, front wheel brakes II and I2 (Cl. 30a-84) and rear wheel brakes I3 and Ill. Pivotally mounted on a support I5 xed to the frame is a brake pedal i1. A rod I8 is pivoted to boss I9 formed on the brake pedal hub and the brake pedal is normally held in its rearmost position by a coil spring 20 having one end fixed to the rod pivot and the other end fixed to a bracket 2l fixed to the vehicle frame.

The hydraulic brake system for the front and rear wheel brakes is carried by the frame. In such system there is a casing 22 bolted on a supporting bracket 23 iixed on the vehicle frame II). This casing is preferably formed to provide a iiuid reservoir 24 and a master or primary power cylinder 25. The casing is formed with a filler neck Ii which is closedby a screw cap 26 and the reservoir communicates with the interior of the primary power cylinder through means of ducts 21 and 28.r

Arranged to reciprocate in the primary power cylinder is a piston 29 with which is associated a link 30 connected with the brake rod I8 by a suitable coupling 3|. A boot 32 extends around' the link 30 and is sealed around an extended end portion of the power cylinder extending from the casing 22 by a removable strap 32'. The .other end of this boot is sealed around the coupling 3| by a removable strap 30'.. A stop plate 29' is arranged in the rear end of the power cylinder and is secured therein by a detachable retainer spring 28'. The rear end of the piston is formed with a flange which is adapted to engage the stop plate 29 and fixed to the piston inadvance of this rear flange is a gasket 33 arranged to engage with the cylinder and prevent, escape of iiud rearwardly past the piston.

Engaging the forward end of the piston is another cup shaped gasket 21' and a spring 35 holds this gasket in such relation withw the piston. In the forward end of the power cylinder is fitted a ring supporting member 3l against which a check valve structure is seated and held by the coil spring 35. This check valve structure consists of a rigid perforated cup member 3G carrying a rubber valve member 31 having a flanged portion overlying the perforations 38 therein. This rubber flange allows forward passage of fluid thereby but prohibits the iiow of iiuid through the perforated cup member in a directionl rearwardly of the power cylinder. The duct 28 provides a connection whei'eby fluid can flow from the reservoir into the power cylinder and can flow between the power cylinder and the reservoir, and the duct 21 is provided for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

A unitary fluid dispensing means is carried in the casing 28 which is screwed into the forward end yof the power cylinder and serves to hold the* ring support u tightly in place. The spring engages the cup member 36 to retain it against this ring support. Casing 39 is formed with four axially parallel auxiliary power chambers l0 which are open at their rear ends to a manifold 40 which screws into and is in open communication with the power cylinder. The forward ends oi these auxiliary cylinders have nttings 4I screwed therein and fixed to such fittings by suitable couplings l2 are conduits I3, ll, and It. Conduits I3 and Il lead respectively to the front wheel brakes II and i2 while conduits and I8 lead respectively to the rear wheel brakes I3 and il. Extending through the outer end of the fittings are axial passages 41 which terminate in a transversely extending passage Il at the rear end. The rear end portions il of the ttings` are circular in cross section and taper toward their inner ends and the passages 4l are arranged to open through such conical peripheries of the fittings.

Power means in the form of pistons It are carried in the auxiliary cylinders and are normally spaced from the fittings Il by coil springs il.

-These auxiliary pistons are formed with an axial passage I of different diameters `establishing l communication between the manifold Il' of the casing Il and the auxiliary power cylinders. At the rear end of each of those es is a spring pressed ball check valve l2. These valves allow nuid to now rearwardly through passages Il but psevmt .forward now of huid thereby. Each auxiliary piston is formed with a bypass Il, of relatively small cross section, which connects the passage li in advance oi' the valve l2 with thel manifold Il' which is in open communication with the primary power cylinder.

The auxiliary cylinders are arranged in a cirwlar relation and a passage Il extends axially through the casing 39 and communicates with the manifold portion Il' thereof. Passages il connect this passage Il with each of the auxiliary power cylinders and associated with the passage Il is a valve Il which is adapted to establish or shut on communication between the e Il and the es it.

The forward ends of the passag il in the auxiliary power pistons 49 are-widened to telescope over and engage in a binding relation with the rear end portion I0 of the fittings 4i in a manner whereby the transverse passages 48 are completely sealed from the interior of the cylinder Il and from communication with the passageway Il. To this end the overlapping faces of the end tl and widened portions. of passage Il are slanted and conformed relative to each other to establish a binding or wedged relationship therebetween. VAlthough this binding relation may extend throughout the telescoped portions of the faces, it is suillcient for the purposes of this invention that this binding relation be regionalid to the area circumferentially and axally adjacent to the` openings on passageway Il to thus provide means for automatically sealing oi! any one of the conduits, when broken or leaking, from the rest of the system. This frictional fit is of such a character that it will not beove'rcome by the action of the springs 5l and it is necessary to remove the fittings 4l in order to detach the auxiliary pistons therefrom. This detachment can be accomplished without entirely removing the auxiliary pistons from their cylinders but, if desired, suitable plug means can be inserted in the ends of the auxiliary cylinders if it is desired to remove the pstons for any reason.

When the braking system is installed on a motor vehicle it is substantially filled with fluid and at all times the reservoir should be maintained at least half full of fluid. In order to apply the brakes the pedal I1 is pressed forwardly to produce a forward movement of the main power piston through means of the rod Il and link I0. This movement of the main power piston forces fluid from the main power cylinder through the check valve device at its forward end and into the manifold Iii of the casing 39 from which it is moved forwardly into the auxiliary cylinders forcing the auxiliary pistons forwardly. This forward movement of the auxiliary pistons forces the fluid in advance thereof through the ttings 4I and the associated conduits to the brake applying mechanisms. The return of the main power piston and the gasket 21' to released position is much faster than the return of the fluid through the lines into the master cylinder. A momentary vacuum is there fore created in the master cylinder and additional fluid is drawn into the system from the reservoir through drilled holes `l2 in the front end of the power piston and past the lip of the gasket 21'. Any excess fluid in the main power cylinder is returned through the duct i8 into the reservoir. thus we have the main power cylinder full of fluid for every brake application. The duct I'I is of course always in open communication with the small diameter portion of the pistoil` and with the openings t2. The escape of huid from the conduits or auxiliary cylinders is replenished upon the pressure operation of the piston by the forcing of fluid from the manifold 4l through the bypasses il, and when there-is an oversupplyoi iluid in the conduits then it can move into the manifold through the bypasses I3 and past the check valves 62.

Let us assume now that there is serious leakage in one ofthe conduits or that one of the conduits has been broken. Under either of such conditions forward movement of the power piston will move the auxiliary pistons forwardly in this same manner as previously described, but as the broken or open conduit is exposed to atmosphere, the resistance to the auxiliary piston movement in the associated auxiliary chamber will be materially reduced and the pressure of the fluid behind such auxiliary piston will force it to telescope the conical end of the. associated fitting and to frictionally engage thereon so that the associated spring I0 will not release it from such frictional engagement. As a consequence, the opening 4B is sealed oil from its auxiliary cylinder and from the rest of the system. By sealing of! the broken or leaking conduit, the uid in the system will not escape therethrough and it will continue .to function in an eiilcient manner. The motor vehicle will thus have operable effective brake mechanism even though one of the fluid conduits is broken. When this broken or leaking conduit is repaired, it is necessary to remove the associated fitting 4I in order to release the auxiliary piston therefrom whereupon the parts are reassembled in the auxiliary cylinder as previously described. After the fitting and piston have been separated and are in their normal position in the auxiliary cylinder then the valve is opened to allow communication between the passage 54 which is open toamai/47 the manifold In' and the interior of the chamber which has been serviced in order that such chamber and its conduit will be quickly filled with fluid through a pumping action by the main pow er piston. after such conduit and auxiliary cylinder are lled with iiuid then the valve 5d is again screwed down to close the passages 5d.

it will he seen that i have provided means which permits the continued use ci a disabled. hydraulic braise systern so that urther driving can he done with safety.

Although. the invention has been described in connection with a specific embodiment, the prin ciples involved are susceptible ci numerous other applications which utili readily occur to persons skilled in the art. invention is thereiore 'to he limited as indicated hy the scope ci the appended claims,

Wi'iat Il claim l. in a hydraulic system ior applying vehicle tralies, the combination with a power cylinder having an outlet with an opening therein con nected to a loralze, a piston in the cylinder, and cap means on the piston ier telescoping and sealing the cylinder outlet in rictionally binding relation while the outlet opening is exposed to atmosphere, said piston being moved hy a brake applying operation of the system to place the cap means in sealing. relation with the outlet.

2. In a hydraulic system for applying vehicle brakes having a main power cylinder, a pressure applying means in said cylinder, a plurality' of separate auxiliary power cylinders having outlets, said cylinders communicating 'with the main cylinder, a piston in each auxiliary system, and conduit means leading from the auioiliary cylinder outlets to the braises, oi means for individually telescoping and frictionally sealing each conduit means from each auxiliary cylinder to seal the same when there is leakage thereirom cornprising a movable element in each auxiliary cylinder responsive to pressure therein.

3. In a hydraulic system for applying vehicle brakes having a fluid cylinder and a piston in the cylinder, the combination of an outlet tting for the cylinder having a passage therethrough, and means on the piston for engaging the fitting and in a frictionally binding relation sealing the passage from the cylinder when the passage is exposed to atmosphere.

4. In a hydraulic system for applying vehicle brakes having a fluid cylinder and a piston in the' cylinder, the combination with an outlet iltting for the cylinderhaving an end projecting into the cylinder and a passage therethrough opening through the projection, and a hanged extension on the piston for irictionally telescoping said fitting end to seal the passage opening therethrough.

5. in a hydraulic system for applying vehicle braises, the combination with a power cylinder outlet having an opening therein, of means telescoping and rictionally engagingV said outlet'to seal the opening therein when exposed to at inosphere, said means being moved into sealing relation hy pressure in the cylinder.

ii. lin a hydraulic system for applying vehicle braises having a duid cylinder and a plstoriin cylinder, an outlet tting for the cylinder having a tapering end projecting into the cylinn dei* with a passage therethrough having an outiet opening upon the lace of said projecting end adjacent the end thereof, and a hanged cirtension on said piston for telescoping said projecting end, said flanged extension being conformed to establish a binding relation with said projectingy end over a circumferential area which includes said opening in a sealing relation,

'?. In a hydraulic braking system, a brake, a

source of vpressure :duid supply, a connection from said source to said brake, means for applying pressure to said brake from said source, a cylinder constituted as a part of said connection, a piston in said cylinderfor precluding ow oi pressure fluid through the cylinder, a springv for urging the piston in one direction, and a continuous Wedge seat adjacent said spring, overhalu anced pressure at the side of said piston opposite said spring being adapted to cause the piston to become graspingly held against said wedge seat. y FRANK C. BEST. 

